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The most-recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) update to COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers (see pp. 25-27) includes waivers of a few life safety code provisions that may reduce disruption of patient care and potential exposure/transmission of COVID-19.  In all cases, it will be important to consider these waivers in the context of your existing life safety policies, procedures and plans.  

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) posted a list of awards of emergency response grant recipients who received almost $100 million in state funds to prepare for and respond to the outbreak of COVID-19. 

This week’s COVID-19 Resource Round-Up features a new training video on specimen collection, an updated FAQ on testing and a link to the new process MDH is using for COVID-19 case management. 

In a press release and memo to state officials on May 18, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) outlines critical steps that nursing homes and communities should take prior to relaxing protective restrictions currently in place and identifies factors state officials should consider in deciding when it is safe to re-open. While the guidance is specific to nursing homes, it may serve as a foundation for decisions affecting housing with services and assisted living communities as well.  

The COVID-19 pandemic upended the 2020 legislative session, resulting in legislative breaks, remote hearings, limited public engagement and challenges to the governor’s peacetime emergency executive powers. The difficulties culminated to an inconclusive finish at midnight on May 18. Governor Walz will likely call the Legislature back on June 12 in order to extend his current peacetime emergency authority. 

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has amended service delivery for Adult Day Services in response to COVID -19. Allowable services, with the consent of the Veteran as allowed by state plan, include: 

Time is running out to register for the Dementia Care Certificate Program that begins next week.  

The 27 fellows in our 2020 Leadership Academy kicked off the second decade of our leadership development program with a unique start: meeting via Zoom due to social distancing guidelines.  

In this week’s COVID-19 Resource Round-Up, we share new materials on guidance on compassionate care visits, resident transfers, recommendations for admissions, and employment law FAQS related to PPE and workplace accommodations.  

The impact of the coronavirus goes beyond physical health. The mental health and wellbeing of residents, clients, leadership, and staff are also at risk. We are sharing free, on-demand, short-form learning opportunities to help you address these aspects of this pandemic. 

In response to the COVID-19, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded access to telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries and nursing home residents. A new toolkit from CMS can help states identify which aspects of their statutory and regulatory infrastructure may impede the rapid deployment of telehealth capabilities in their Medicaid program.  

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) this week released a bulletin that describes the process for providing add-on payments to customized living providers who have confirmed cases of COVID-19 involving residents or staff. 

LeadingAge Minnesota members are welcome to attend Quality Dementia Care Dialogues: Helping people with dementia cope with social distancing and transitions of care, a free webinar on May 20 from 2-3 pm.  

This week’s Resource Round-Up is all about sample policies and survey checklists. 

As reported last week, HUD and the CDC delivered presentations on their interim guidance on facility cleaning and disinfecting for COVID-19. The recorded webinar and handouts, which are helpful to any housing setting and staff, is now available.  

President Trump yesterday called upon states to universally test all nursing home residents and staff within the next two weeks. The announcement, however, did not provide details or support for how states would complete this widespread testing. 

The annual re-calculation of the Housing Support, formerly Group Residential Housing (GRH), rate that covers rent and raw food for eligible participants has resulted in an increase of $12 per month. The new rate of $934 will be effective July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021.  

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) recently announced the imminent launch of a new program to pay enhanced rates to Customized Living providers who have a confirmed case of COVID-19 (residents or staff) in their setting.  

Governor Walz last week announced a 5-Point Battle Plan to Protect the Most Vulnerable, which is targeted at seniors and their caregivers in nursing homes and assisted living.  

In response to COVID-19, the Alzheimer’s Association has developed a special topic Project ECHO series based on their guidance Emergency Preparedness: Caring for persons living with dementia in a long-term or community-based care setting. 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on May 1 released an interim final rule containing new nursing home requirements for reporting COVID-19 data. We have prepared a summary of the rule (updated May 5), which directs facilities to report information to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) through the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) system and to notify residents, resident representatives and families of COVID-related information.  

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on May 1 released an interim final rule containing new nursing home requirements for reporting COVID-19 data. We have prepared a summary of the rule (updated May 5), which directs nursing homes to report information to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) through the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) system and to notify to residents, resident representatives and families of COVID-related information. 

Our popular four-part Dementia Care Certificate Program begins with two webinars on May 28 and June 5.  

Join our free webinar, Finding Hope in the Time of COVID-19 – Building Resilience Through Spirituality, on May 7 and explore the role of spirituality in building resilience. 

Each week we summarize and provide links to new tools and resources developed by LeadingAge Minnesota to help you respond to COVID-19. This week we feature tools in the area of workforce, testing and emergency staffing, as well as talking points and promotional materials for next week’s Long-Term Care week.  

LeadingAge Minnesota is participating in an effort that recruits people interested in long term care using the Caring Careers Start Here platform. Caring Careers Start Here originally began as a campaign from HealthForce Minnesota focused on recruiting students into long term care careers and is now being redirected to recruit displaced workers specifically during the COVID19 pandemic.   

A new blueprint introduced by the U.S> House Democratic Caucus Task Force on Aging and Families on will make long-term care and affordable seniors housing a priority for future pandemic relief. The blueprint includes:  

Three members of Congress recently asked 11 assisted living companies to detail their case counts and strategies related to COVID-19, including their use of personal protective equipment, testing, visitation polices, and sick leave, family leave, medical leave and hazard pay offered to employees. LeadingAge and Argentum used this call for information as an opportunity to push the federal government to prioritize assisted living operators for PPE and other resources to combat COVID-19. 

Congress is working on its next COVID-19 funding package and now is the time to raise our voices to support affordable senior housing. Join us to urge Congress to provide funding and support for affordable senior housing, including a $1.012 billion package of relief funds for affordable senior housing:   

The U.S. Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) this week delivered presentations on their interim guidance on facility cleaning and disinfecting for COVID-19.